When your coworkers are also your relatives, maintaining a quality work-life balance isn’t just important; it’s essential. The level of dedication and commitment expected from a family member will always be higher than what’s expected of others in the company. Without some forethought and intentionality, the business can take over dinner tables, vacations and even your sense of self.
Here are five strategies to help keep both you and your enterprise healthy:
1. Delineate Work and Non-Work Hours
Designate specific times for work-related conversations and then hold everyone accountable to adhering to those limits. Avoid turning family dinners into board meetings. Protect certain hours or days (e.g., Sunday dinner, birthdays or vacations) as off-limits for business talk. These moments anchor the family relationship outside of the company and preserve emotional connections that aren’t tied to work.
2. Define Roles Clearly
Make sure everyone knows their professional role in the business and how it differs from their role in the family. Being someone’s sister at home doesn’t mean you’re their supervisor at work. Similarly, members of the board shouldn’t make day-to-day management decisions, and the family council is not the place to discuss governance. Clear role boundaries reduce tension and help everyone know where they stand.
3. Prioritize Health
Work-life balance isn’t just about time with family. It’s also about your physical and mental well-being. Work-health balance is just as important as work-family balance. Regular checkups, adequate sleep, exercise and mental health care help ensure you’re bringing your best self to both the business and your loved ones.
4. Practice Stress Management
Running a business with your family can be especially stressful. It’s vital to build habits that help you decompress and reset. Daily practices like walking, mindfulness, journaling or structured time away from screens can reduce strain and increase resilience. Encourage a family culture where it’s normal to take breaks, use vacation time or seek help when needed. The more you manage your own stress, the more constructive and collaborative you’ll be at work and at home.
5. Obtain an Outside Perspective
Use non-family advisors, consultants or board members to bring objectivity, mediate tough issues and reinforce professionalism. Their presence can help keep emotions in check and support good governance. A trusted advisor, therapist or coach with experience in family business dynamics can also help resolve conflict, offer clarity and prevent unhealthy patterns from taking root.
With a little structure and intentionality, it’s possible to succeed in business and still enjoy being a family.